The Quick Way Out: It was for Shiki
by Alyss Penedo
Summary: In which Neku possesses a little more foresight than they expected, and somehow manages to both sidestep the whole mess of back-to-back weeks and get dragged even deeper into the Game than ever. An alternate ending of Week 1. Contains spoilers and depressing things. UPDATED (Again...) to be more reader-friendly.


**Spoilers 'till the end of Week 1, Hanekoma's role, and the Composer's identity and Game with the Conductor. And probable OOC-ness, but you don't care about that (not if you're reading fanfiction ;P ).**

**A/N:** Hiya~! First time writing for this fandom. Characterization is not my strong point, I'm pretty sure my tenses are all over the place, and this whole piece was a formatting nightmare. Be nice?

For those of you who don't know me (which is probably most of you): I'm Alyss/Alex, a *sli~ghtly* bipolar newbie fanfic author with minor gender issues and a liking for spiritual/deep stuff (when I'm Alyss, at least). And a tendency to spawn plot-bunnies, and a tendency to brutally murder said bunnies before they ever hit the page (though I'm sure you don't need to know the specifics of that ;L ). Oh, and a tendency to ramble, if you haven't figured that out already.

For those of you who _do _know me: Yes, this is not the next chapter of TitTB. Sorry.

This isn't really gen, but it's certainly not AU, so I guess this is...semi-AU? Ish? I don't know; it doesn't really fall one way or another. (And it has _way _too many parenthesis'. Just saying. You have been warned.) I wasn't going to post this at all originally, because there are a ridiculous number of canon-plot issues that this piece raises and I kinda don't have the answers to them all -which means that it probably would've been discontinued pretty quickly. (And I _hate _discontinued stories. With a passion.) Then I realized: I can do a _one-shot! _*Violently facepalms_~*_

Ahem.

I don't see this as romance, but if you're the kind of person who attaches romantic/sexual attraction with any form of meaningful connection: Go for it. I don't care. (...for pairings ;L )

**_I do not own and make no profit from writing this. All rights belong to Square Enix an_**— Y'know what? Screw this. _Yes. _Yes_, _I _do_ own TWEWY. And I'm getting _paid_ to write this shit, too. Just so you know. Because you all believe me, of course.

Oh, and all those lines I copied directly from the game? Completely original. Mine. FYI.

* * *

_"Once you see the real me, will we still be friends?"_

Light envelopes Shiki, siphoned from the too-bright surroundings, and wrapping around her (_nother'sneverher's_) form. In a brief moment of weakness (one that he didn't let show on his face, that he would never mention or _ever_ admit to having -_neverletShikifindout_), he wished that the same was happening to him. She turns to him as the light begins to twinkle in earnest, uncertain and a little scared (_oldShikidon'tlookbacknother_) and he shakes the longing off as she starts to rise gently into the air. Their eyes meet and they smile at each other, each a little rueful, regretful...hopeful. She reaches out to him, seeking some kind of reassurance. He reaches back, more to get a message across that to actually touch her.

And when she starts fading (_soquicklyalmostgone_), he is hit by a fleeting image of that beautiful light swarming over the both of them, like a pact in reverse; a final farewell to the Game and everything it entailed.

Their hands never touch.

When she's well and truly gone, he lets his fingers linger in the air before they sink down to his side. The image has burst like a soap-bubble dream; he's still here, he's still got another week ahead of him, and he's going to have to _work_ to make both halves of that picture a reality: both of them with their halos of life surounding them and together, with no Games, no Noise, no need for a Pact (_livingPactpromiseHachiko-_)

_"I'll be waiting for you-every day, in front of Hachiko...till you come back."__  
__"I'll see you there soon. That's a promise."_

He'll be damned before he broke that promise.

* * *

"Neku!" Neku turned at the ecstatic voice, his eyes searching the light crowd that seemed to perpetually gather around Hachiko. A girl in green detaches herself from the flow of people and halts before him, hands resting on her knees as she pants for breath. She straightened to grin happily at him, Mr. Mew swinging from her arms. "I wasn't expecting you for another couple of days! I mean, a week hasn't gone by yet, so I-"

"Shiki." She looks at him then, _really _looks at him. He's been worrying a lot; she can see that right away in the obvious relief he radiates. But what troubles her is the touch of doubt shadowing his features, the undercurrent of tension in his voice. "Where were...have you looked at a calendar recently?"

"Umm..." Something's very wrong with Neku, and Shiki doesn't know what's up; doesn't know what the right answer should be. So she sticks with honesty. "No?"

"It's been..." _(strainreliefdespondencyanger) _"It's been over _two weeks _since I last saw you, Shiki. No one would answer my questions, and I've been waiting for you, here, for _two weeks._ What happened?"

"I...what?" The look she gives him is so bemused, so blankly uncomprehending, that Neku feels his frustration melt away."T-two weeks?! That can't be right! I just came back to life yesterday!" _(Notintentionalnotherfault-)_

"Two weeks," he confirms, folding his arms in front of him. They pause to contemplate this strange phenomenon; one shocked, one both puzzled and relieved. "Well," he starts, sighing just a tiny bit _(doesn'tmatterrelief)_, "the important thing is that you're here now."

"Yeah..." Shiki frowns. There's still something wrong with Neku; his smile is too soft, his eyes too sad. "Neku? Are you...is something...wrong?"

He shoves his hands deep in his pockets, hiding the lower half of his face in his collar. It's hard to tell through his bangs, but she thinks that he's looking away. "Everything's fine, Shiki."

And he's _lying_, and she can hear it cloying in the air between them like cheap perfume, like poison, and it upsets her more than she even thought possible _(-trustPartneroldNeku-)_

"Neku...?" And she can't _stand _how her voice shakes and cracks under the weight of his name, under her question. Apparently Neku can't stand it either, because he turns toward Scramble and starts weaving through the press, muttering a quick, "I found this cafe on Cat Street, the other day. We need to talk..."

* * *

_"If only one of us gets a second chance, what happens to the one left behind?"_

"And now it's your turn. You seem to have your mind made up," the Conductor intoned solemnly, ruining the effect by smirking ever-so-slightly.

_"If you still cling to life, you may reenter the Game."_

"Damn straight." Neku crossed his arms, his resolve and resigned displeasure manifesting in the determined set of his shoulders and the annoyed angle of his head. "I'm going to go see Shiki in the RG; I won't let another Game stop me."

"Excellent. Your resolve is commendable; no doubt you'll make it an exciting Game. Then, before it begins, allow me to first return your previous entry fee. You'll be needing your memories, doubtless-"

"Wait. ...What?" Neku frowned warily. Something didn't add up.

"Hmm?"

"I said, I'm playing again. Why are you returning my entry fee? Do I not need one this time around?" He reasoned.

_(Suspiciouscarefulmustbecatchsomewhere-)_

* * *

He never touches her.

Shiki knows this, of course (though it took a while for her to notice; Neku was never the touchy-feely type anyways). She also doesn't question it, the times when they meet up _(alwaysHachiko) _to hang out. She already knows.

She remembers how Neku used to be, the first time she met him; locked so firmly in his own world that he would have gladly torn apart another's, just to get them to _shut the hell up and_ _leave him alone_. And while he's not like that anymore _(sometimesworse)_, it still pains her _(morethanallowadmit)_ to see the shadow of that person standing behind her Neku, ready to take over as soon as she leaves his presence.

That shadow always seems to take to form of spiny wings.

And so she doesn't question the lack of contact. They'd never touched during her time in the Game, but now she can_ feel_ him deliberately holding back and subtly shifting away, not wanting to stain her with the blood (figurative, of course; souls don't _bleed_ blood, just Imagination-static) on his hands.

And she, in turn, never reaches out to him. She can't quite bring herself to touch him _(afraidguiltyweakyourfaultthathe's-)_, any more than he can her.

* * *

"...So what would be my entry fee this time?"

The Conductor let out a small sigh; his only indication that he was getting tired of humoring Neku and wanted to get on with it. In the same tone he'd used to explain why a different entry fee was needed, he recited: "An entry fee is what a Player values most." He shot the boy an expectant, 'any-more-interruptions?' look that Neku studiously ignored. Something was up, and his mind raced to figure out what. What did he value most?

_"I don't know if I have anything to go back to." _

He couldn't remember if he'd had anything of personal value, if the answer he sought would come to him once he regained his stolen memories.

_"I don't even know how I died."_

He didn't think so; if he'd had anything important, they wouldn't have taken his memories to begin with. Did he value _anything_ more than his...?

_"You do."_

No.

No way. That'd be-they couldn't be-no, no, n-

"No!" The syllable tore free from his throat, ragged and more than a little horrified. Megumi, his arm very deliberately raised in Neku's direction, paused.

"No?"

_"Didn't you swear you'd go back and see Eri again?"_

"No! You can't!"

"Take your new fee? I think you'll find that I can."

"You _won't _involve Shiki in this! Not again!" Neku crouches into a battle-ready stance, knowing full well how futile it would be but too panicked to care.

Megumi folded his arms, one hand resting lightly on his chin. Though his expression never changed, the Conductor seemed almost...surprised. _(Impressedamusedintrigued-)_

"If you intend to play again, I'll have to take your fee."

"Didn't you _hear_ me?! _No!_ You won't drag her back into-"

"I assure you, _I'm _not the one who cares about her." The Conductor arched an eyebrow, quietly regarding the potential Player from behind his shades. "So, I take it you've changed your mind?" It wasn't a question. "You won't play again?"

"No!" _(Nononotagain_won't_involve__-__)_

"...Then what will you do?" That bastard was enjoying this. He was _enjoying _this, and Neku wanted _(needsobadly) _to erase him right then and there, but he couldn't because his hands were tied _(toomanyties)_, because he couldn't fight without a partner, without Shiki- _Shiki, how am I supposed to keep our-?_

_"I...I ain't goin' back!"_

_"If you lean towards destruction, you may join your friend-"_

Oh.

* * *

"Huh. You...you's aight, Phones."

"...I've told you my story. Now tell me why _you_ joined the Reapers."

"Like I said, man. It's fo' Rhyme."

"How?"

"Lookitdis." Beat showed Neku a black pin, decorated with a grafitti Noise motif that resemebled a rodent. "Coffee man made it. It-it's Rhyme."

Neku eyed the pin, noting the design's similarities to the small Noise that Beat usually had on his shoulder. A sort of detached curiosity prompted him to confirm, "So you became a Reaper just to use Rhyme's pin?"

"Nah, it ain't just that."

"Why, then?"

"It's so... look, Phones, c'you keep a secret?"

"Sure."

"You know 'bout the Composer? The guy running dis joint?"

_"As I mentioned a moment ago, this was decided by the Composer Himself. Your wishes don't mean a damn."_

"Yeah." Neku spat the word out more vehemently than he intended, but Beat didn't seem to notice.

"Well, they say that the guy who offs him gets the job, and the Composer's _gotta_ have enough power t'bring back Rhyme...Y'dig?"

"...Yeah. I get it. So that's why you-"

"Yep. I gotta do dis, man. I owe it ta' Rhyme. It-it was my fault she died, y'know..." Beat looked down, avoiding Neku's gaze.

_"Sometimes, all people need is a good listener..."_

"...I'll listen if you wanna talk about it, I guess."

* * *

"You are sure? You do realize that, should you choose this, your initial entry fee will be forever lost to you?"

"..."

"Your friend, for example, will never get his fee back -though in his case, I suppose it matters little, seeing as his sister has already been erased. You, however, still stand to gain by playing again and reclaiming your memories-"

"The risk...would be too high."

_"If you lean toward destruction, you may join your friend as a Reaper."_

Not too long ago (a week, to be exact), Neku would have had little trouble doing just that; whatever it took to protect what he cared about. He'd never given a damn about strangers before. But still, why was it so _hard_ to just...?

_"I'll see you there soon. That's a promise."_

"No, this is what I choose. I…I can always make new memories." Neku finally raised his head and squarely met the Conductor's gaze. "I'm sure; make me a Reaper."

Megumi's eyes were expressionless behind his shades, quietly assessing the value of the soul before him. The boy had great potential, undoubtedly; potential to become an asset, potential to become a threat. Certainly the potential to prove interesting, at the very least. He let out a slow chuckle and, even as a small part of him wondered if he would regret it, said, "Very well, then. The Reapers welcome you, Neku Sakuraba."

_"You're not gonna start slipping back now, are you?"__  
__"Huh?"__  
__"Back to the old Shiki."__  
__"N-no..."_

_I'm such a hypocrite..._

* * *

"...Yo, Phones?"

Neku merely glanced at Beat to show that he was listening, interest mildly piqued by the unusual note of uncertainty in his new partner's voice.

_"Trust your partner."_

It was almost funny how the very nature of Reaperhood seemed to encourage the opposite. After their first, ruthless week of 'probation', Neku wasn't sure he could ever look at Beat quite the same way again. _(Suchahypocrite-)_

"I...I wuz jus' wonderin'...why'd you become a Reaper, yo?"

"I should be the one asking you that," he deadpanned. And he _was_ curious; Neku never did find out for sure why, though it wasn't like he didn't have a few vague ideas _(revengedebtguiltsorrow?)_ of his own floating around.

"Tha'...it's..." Beat scratched the back of his head, obviously trying to decide if he should come clean with Neku or not. Then he shrugged. "It wuz fo' Rhyme." Beat seemed to think that explanation aplenty, and proceeded to watch Neku expectantly.

Neku shrugged as well, resisting the urge to point out that _that makes no sense at all, Rhyme wouldn't want you erasing Players_. Mimicking Beat's answer, he muttered: "It was for Shiki."

* * *

Sanae Hanekoma sighed. As a Producer, he'd delivered his fair share of messages and news over time, and seen plenty of reactions to his reports. Even so, he'd never _quite_ seen J like this before.

Shibuya's Composer was sprawled out across WildKat's backroom couch, laughing himself to pieces, where he'd been convulsing with mirth ever since Hanekoma had told him what had happened to his young proxy. And that was the disturbing part: Josh was _laughing. _Not giggling, not smirking, but _laughing._

"I-I know th-that-I mean, I-I-I-th-there was a-a chance that he w-wouldn't-woul-even the b-best plans go astr-astray, but to think he-he'd- aha, ahahaha!"

Sanae sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, shoulder lifted in half a shrug. Trying to hide the overtures of hope in his voice, he asked nonchalantly: "Well, does this mean that Megs won, boss?"

Joshua ignored him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was considering the very same thing. (Elsewhere, he was vehemently denying the mere _possibility _that he could've lost.) If Megumi hadn't caught on, he'd have to go out and find himself another proxy; sooner rather than later. But for now, all he could do was laugh, and laugh, and laugh.

* * *

Neku was terrified of the day Shiki died, the day she was forced to play the Game again. There was a quiet, creeping horror at the thought of seeing her the same way he forced himself to see the Players; of acknowledging that he might one day come to regret his choice to avoid putting his first partner at risk; of facing the fact that, eventually, it would all have been for naught.

Of knowing that, if he lived to see that day come and erased her like he was meant to, he'd be a true Reaper.

_(DeathisonlyanotherGameStart)_

* * *

**A/N:** You can all shoot me now. That's right, you have _permission. _I, on the other hand, am going to hide behind my thick skin (completely reviewer flame-proof! Well, some of the time, at least) and my security blanket (aka the assumption that none of you are hackers who care enough to track my IP address ;P ).

Before any of you ask me _anything_, I request that you read it again. For realz, peeps; all the parenthesis' can make things screwy the first time through. Read it again. (Unless, of course, you're asking because you want to write a spin-off of this; in which case, you just go ahead and ask. I'll probably give you the OK, but ask anyways so I can go read it XP ).

Yes, this is a one-shot. This will remain a one-shot. Probably.

At least, it will unless my brain spontaneously erupts with more bunnies (enough to deal with all the canon-plot snarls this semi-fic presents) than I care to murder off. Which would take an impressive amount, considering how ridiculously trigger-happy Alex is :P But, if said bunny apocalypse happens, ain't nuthin' I can do 'bout it!

Speaking of bunnies (does the first one count as an omake? Well, whatever):

~Uzuki (aka Pinky) is royally pissed off when she finds out that Neku gets offered a promotion before she does. Because God knows (ahaha, Joshua _does_ know), Neku's a helluva lot stronger than she is. "Why, why, _why _do all you unmotivated carrot-heads keep being offered _and_ refusing MY_ PROMOTION?!_" "Chill, girl. Take it down a notch or four." "_S__hut it, _you lazy bum! You're no better than that spicy tuna roll!"

~Neku and Beat go on a long and complicated adventure (which I will not describe here because it's _that _freakishly complicated. No, it's not that I'm lazy; it's actually really complicated. Honest) to take down Josh aka the Composer so they can bring back Rhyme and 'fix this screwed up Game'. Naturally, because these stories work that way, they succeed to some extent in posing a threat to the Composer, and somewhere along the way find out how Neku was killed/murdered. Which leads to them learning about that whole Game with Shibuya at stake, finding out Neku's original role in it, getting over it all, fighting through a whoooole lotta Reapers (that's a ton of OC's right there), and basically continuing down the long and perilous path (a path chock-full of "those moments when you know something the character doesn't" XP) to kill the Composer. And they succeed (sorta), and Neku basically ends up Composer (no surprise there ;L ), though I guess the cliched ending is negotiable. ("One does not _simply_ negotiate with plotbunnies." It is a long and arduous process, that I will not bother attempting for a story I may never write out. T_T)

~There was also this rather complex storyline that popped up in which Joshua, in an attempt to pit Neku against Megs, does something along the lines of acting like Shiki is his proxy (or just about anything that makes Megs try to erase Shiki, which would make Neku intervene, and basically force Neku fight the Conductor). However, Alex came up with that (*SHOCKER!*) and is too lazy to write it out, whereas I see too many plot issues _(hatediscontinuedstories:P) _to try to make it work. Alex can murder his own bunnies easily enough, and they don't bother me, so I don't care~!

...What? How _dare _you suggest that I'm also too lazy to write it out?


End file.
